Austrians must deliver on budget and guarantee genuine freedom of movement

12.00.00am GMT Wed 18th Jan 2006

Addressing Chancellor Schüssel today in Parliament on the Austrian Presidency priorities, ALDE leader Graham WATSON called for genuine freedom of movement across the Union. "2006 is the European Year of Workers' Mobility. How ironic, then, that you seek to violate its spirit by prolonging for the first time in EU history transitional arrangements which hinder the free movement of workers within our Union. Liberals and Democrats reject a two-tier Europe, where citizens of new Member States are treated as second class", he said. He also called on the Austrian Presidency to reach an agreement with the European Parliament on the Union's spending over the next seven years as well as to deliver the kind of budget that will respond to the ambitions and aspirations of Europe's citizens.

Austrian ALDE Member Karin RESETARITS compared the Council President Wolfgang Schüssel with the Greek god Zeus. "He and most of the heads of States are dealing with Europe as if it was their mistress. In Strasbourg, they are full of passion but at home Europe is despised, concealed or often discredited", she mused. "If Wolfgang Schüssel really wants to give Europe a new impetus, he has to avow himself and stand up for his mistress with more confidence. She deserves a decent financial living!" she added.